LAHORE: In a bid to slash agricultural water consumption by nearly a third and cut methane emissions almost by half, the rice sector is moving to adopt climate-smart farming techniques that can allow local growers to unlock lucrative international carbon markets.

The initiative gained momentum during a stakeholder consultation held in Gujranwala, bringing together hundreds of farmers, researchers, industry executives, and senior government officials, including chief guest Gujranwala Commissioner Muhammad Ali and guest of honour Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) Executive Director Arif Goheer.

Supported by the Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation (SPAR6C) programmeand the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the project is proposed for implementation by Galaxy Agrinomix and the Pakistan Basmati Heritage Foundation (PBHF), targeting formal registration under the internationally-recognised gold standard to leverage carbon finance under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

At the core of the proposed transformation is the alternate wetting and drying (AWD), a precise watermanagement method where rice fields undergo controlled periods of drying rather than continuous flooding.

Technical experts, including Dr Imran Sheikh, Shazma Amin, and Dr Amjad Bashir from PBHF, alongside Ahsan Kamran of SPAR6C, explained that farmers can utilise simple perforated field tubes to monitor underground water tables and irrigate only when necessary, whiletaking care to keep fields flooded during the critical flowering stage.

While field presentations cited potential savings of up to 30pc in irrigation water and a 48pc reduction in methane emissions, organisers cautioned that actual environmental benefits remained dependent on local soil and climate conditions, requiring rigorous field-level measurement, auditing, and independent verification.

Experts stressed that merely installing an AWD tube does not automatically generate carbon credits; participating growers must strictly adhere to documented practices, reliable water control, and effective drainage. To ensure safe adoption without compromising yield performance, the initiative will depend heavily on extensive farmer training, technical assistance, and clear terms governing grower participation.